Cardinals continue to break the mould on their self-titled debut EP
Still just doing their own thing, Cork’s hottest new guitar band are as subversive as ever.
Photo: Emilyn Cardona
Since releasing their debut single Roseland just last year, Cardinals have established themselves as one of the most exciting alt-newbies to come out of Ireland in recent times. Their scuzzy punk sound, pop leanings and folk nods easily situate them as a band like no other.
On their self-titled debut EP, Cardinals continue to walk their own path, forcefully stamping their distinctive footprints into alt music’s muddy landscape with confidence, intention and a surprisingly warm touch, that surely means they won’t soon disappear from these well-visited plains but will instead be followed for years to come.
Opening their EP with the tambourine track Twist and Turn, the Cork six-piece introduces their undercover pop-centric sound with pop-inspired melodies, a danceable backbeat and disarmingly gentle vocals to encapsulate the extremely personal narrative that this record retells. As a song about grief, frontman Euan Manning’s plaintive vocals shine through on the track, as they do on much of the record, holding the weight of experience within them and sounding like a much older and well-established voice in the industry.
But, even though Euan’s vocals are consistently captivating, they do not overpower or take away from the rest of the band, who each find their moment on the EP. Kieran Hurley and Oskar Gudinovic’s scuzzy punk-inflected guitars make a splash on singles Unreal and Nineteen, Aaron Hurley’s waltzing bass takes centre stage on Roseland, while the smash and crash of evident drumming devotee Darragh Manning captures the raw, quiet chaos of Amphetamines. Add in the expansive lilt of Finn Manning’s accordion in If I Could Make You Care (not to mention the rest), and you’ve got that gothic sound that makes Cardinals stand out.
Yet, the EP also stands out for various other reasons. For its vulnerable and slick lyrics, its creeping refrains and its juxtaposing soundscapes. Cardinals’ songs frequently end in a different state from where they began, moving from humble beginnings to unexplored territories where a thrilling third and final act always seems to be found. And it’s in these tempestuous guitars, squalling vocals and moments of noise that Cardinals not only find their lasting permanence, but also make clear that there’s no limit to what they can do.
Cardinals is out now via So Young Records.